


My True Love Gave to Me

by Jacqualine



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Shirbert, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:41:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqualine/pseuds/Jacqualine
Summary: Twelve days of Christmas inspired. Takes place the Christmas before Delphine is born.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 147





	My True Love Gave to Me

Before Green Gables, before warmth, love and security, when Anne was younger and she was in the orphan asylum, they didn't celebrate Christmas, it was observed, but it could never be qualified as a celebration. They went to church, listened to the reverend preach about Jesus and his birth, prayed and went back to the home. She did love singing the Christmas carols, her favourite one wasn't a song that was sung in church, it was a song the children sang together during the christmas season, while doing chores or just before bed. It was such a happy and audacious song, quick tempoed and they almost ended up shouting it out at the top of their lungs, laughing hysterically at points, forgetting for a few moments, their dark and sad, wretched lives. 

The First Day of Christmas

When Anne arrived at school desk, a less than a couple of weeks before Christmas break, cheeks red from the cold winter wind, eyes bright and a smile on her lips at something Diana was saying, she discovered a small brown package, wrapped in a green ribbon. 

"You have a gift Anne." Diana exclaimed excitedly. "Who is it from?" Anne shook her head, frown on her face as she tried to figure out who would give her a present. It wasn't her birthday and it was too early for a Christmas gift. There was no tag, Anne glanced around the room and saw that almost everyone was already in the schoolhouse, just Tille, Ruby and Josie were missing, but she knew they were out by the Take Notice board, checking to see if Gilbert had finally posted for Ruby. Her eyes fell on Gilbert, standing by Miss Stacy's desk, looking at a book, surely it wouldn't be from him, maybe Charlie...

"Open it." Diana urged her. So Anne pulled the ribbon free and removed the brown paper, inside was a tin of chocolate covered caramels and a small piece of paper that said "From your True Love."

"My true love?" Anne whispered, this had to be some cruel joke. Everyone knew Anne was too homely and unattractive to have a true love. Even if Charlie had shown interest in her, it couldn't be true love. She couldn't stop herself from looking toward Gilbert, who was now talking enthusiastically to Miss Stacy, smiling and gesturing with his hands. Definitely not from Gilbert. "This has to be a trick. It's not funny." She slammed the tin down on her desk and began to pull out her school books. 

The next day after school, she was talking to Ruby and Diana, while they all put on their coats and hats. She went to pull a mitten out of her pocket and found something hard and cold inside, she removed it and stared at the small figure in her hand. It was a rock, about the size of a pinecone, just a plain grey coloured stone, but when she turned it over, she gasped at its beauty. Purple, like Marilla's amethyst brooch, the stone was opened on the other side, it looked like it had been hollowed out and filled with purple gems. Lighter, lavender hued on the outside but getting darker toward the center. "How wonderful." She smiled.

"That's lovely." Ruby whispered longingly. "Who is it from?" The girls had spent most of that day and the previous, discussing who Anne's True Love might be. Anne shrugged and stuck her hand in her pocked, feeling another scrap of paper. "From Your True Love." in the same handwriting as the day before. "A secret admirer, how romantical." Ruby tuttered and Diana agreed.

The third day she found another brown paper wrapped package on her desk, tied with another piece of the same green ribbon as the first. Someone, her "True Love" it would seem, had stamped tiny little green pine trees on the paper, giving it an extra special holiday feel. Anne felt her heart melt at the small gesture, making the plain brown paper beautiful, that was someone who really understood her. Again the attached tag stated it was from her True Love.

"Well open it already. " Josie demanded. All of the girls and a few of the boys had gathered around to see what she had received. It was a stationary set, beautiful cream coloured paper, and chains of daisys, babys breath, lilies and geraniums, printed down the left ledger. Envelops with the same pattern on the left side were also included. 

"Beautiful stationary." Diana exclaimed, and Anne had to agree. It was beautiful, she could easily imagine sitting down at her desk and writing a very important letter to Aunt Jo or Cole or Scotland, she would feel very grown up. Her eyes unwittingly looked toward Gilbert, he was with the group that was watching her, his eyes held curiosity she could tell but no more answers. She knew it wasn't his handwriting, she had compared the previous tags to the letter he had sent from Trinidad. She hadn't voiced it to anyone, and not even to herself, but she had been so disappointed that his writing hadn't matched her "True Love". Everyone but Diana dispersed and Gilbert walked over to them. 

"Your admirer seems to have taken notice." He said, looking into her eyes. 

"So it seems." She tried to decipher what he was saying with his eyes and eyebrows. Did he look jealous? 

"Well he would be lucky to be Anne Shirley Cuthbert's true love." He said and then walked away, leaving Anne and Diana staring opened mouth and silent. They had no chance to discuss it because Miss Stacy called for them to take their places. 

On the fourth day she found a seashell, face down on her desk, when she picked it up and turned it over, there was a small note under it, the usual declaration from her "True Love", the inside of the scallop shaped shell had a painting on it, blue water, red cliffs and beaches, it was a small painting of PEI, or Cavendish beach in particular. She smiled and slipped it into her pocket. Her "True Love" seemed to know a lot about her and things that she liked.

She didn't expect a present on the fifth day, it was a Saturday and no school that day, but when she went to collect the eggs that morning she found a present in there, tucked up high in the corner, where the chickens couldn't peck at it. Wrapped in brown paper, this time stamped with yellow stars, tied with the same green ribbon and the others, and a tag from her "True Love" was a book, a copy of "The Works of Edgar Allan Poe". Anne was instantly thrilled, she had heard of Poe, had read the poem "The Raven" but hadn't read any of his tales. She could barely contain herself to finish her chores and delve into her book.

When Anne came home from church on Sunday, the sixth day, with Matthew and Marilla, she discovered a basket on the front porch, the "True Love" tag blowing softly in the wind. Inside were flowers, well seed packets and bulbs. So she could plant a beautiful flower garden at Green Gables. She would plant them under the windows and in the spring and summer their beautiful perfume would scent all of Green Gables. 

The Seventh day present had all the girls green with envy, even Diana, it was a peacock feather. Long, greenish hued, with the bright blue and turquoise "eye" instantly recognizable. "How decadent." Diana announced, they girls had all repeated many times they couldn't wait to get a hat with peacock feathers or a fan made of one. 

"Anne, are you sure you aren't giving these presents to yourself." Josie sneered.

"I'm not." Anne replied. "I don't know who it is."

"Well you are too poor to get most of these things yourself." Josie didn't hesitate to strike at Anne.

On the eighth day she found a marble, but unlike any marble Anne had seen, used to the clear glass and a swirl of colour in most marbles, this one was brilliant blue, with a milky white thread swirling around it. Too beautiful and precious to be risked at losing during a match, for sure. She found the tag from her "True Love" in her pocket, smiled and turned to show Diana but found herself face to face with Gilbert Blythe. "Another gift?" He inquired, his eyebrow raised and an amused smile on his face. 

"Yes. A marble." She informed him. Holding it out and showing him, she ignored the thrilling jolt that she received when his fingers brushed her palm as he pick it up.

"It looks like the waters in the Caribbean." He observed. 

"Really?" She asked, the marble became even more precious to her, exotic and unique.

"Really. Well see you tomorrow." He slung his hat on his head and waved. Anne followed him out, running to catch Diana, who was saying goodbye to Ruby.

The ninth day was the last day of school before Christmas break, she arrived to find the largest package yet. About the size of two books stacked on each other, wrapped in the brown paper, green trees and yellow stars, stamped on the paper, green ribbon, tied around the package and a tag from her "True Love" as expected. When she opened it, with the entire class watching, she lifted the lid of the box, to find the most exquisite piece of lace inside. Far too beautiful and delicate for someone like Anne, it was better suited to Diana or Ruby.

"What will you do with it?" Ruby gasped. Anne shook her head, running her fingers over the lovely fabric, unsure.

"It would make a lovely trim on a special dress." Tillie offered. Anne nodded, it would.

"Or a wedding veil." Diana smiled at Anne, and she couldn't keep the image of the beautiful material, trimming a gauzy light piece of tulle, covering her face as she walked toward her husband to be. She couldn't help the picture of who her groom would be and tried to stop herself from looking at Gilbert, but failed, catching his gaze and shivering at the intense look it held. She only looked away when Josie complimented the lace as well.

Anne tried to tell herself not to get her hopes up on the tenth day, it was school break and the presents would likely stop and really what could top what she had already received. She had spent the night before, holding and studying each gift, smiling at them and wondering who would give her such items. Who would know her so well that they would know she would find something special even in a simple seashell or a marble? There was only one person she wanted it to be. Even if she would never say it outloud. 

There was no present, tucked up in the rafters of the chicken coop, she chided herself for feeling her stomach tighten, the sense of loss of something she had told herself not to expect. As she trudged back to the house, trying to give herself a pep talk, she saw something fluttering, out of the corner of her eye. Turning toward the movement, she saw a green ribbon tied to one of the lower branches of her beloved Snow Queen, the tree outside her room. She put the eggs on the back stairs and ran to the tree, tied to the ribbon was a tag from her "True Love" and a bright and colourful bracelet, made of a mixture of woven string. The colours reminded her of spring and summer and made her smile as she eagerly tied the bracelet to her wrist. 

Marilla was not as excited. "I don't know if I like the idea of some boy creeping around Green Gables, while we are sleeping." She muttered.

"It's terribly romantical." Anne declared

"Fiddlesticks." Marilla declared but Anne thought she saw a hint of a smile in her eyes.

The Eleventh day was Christmas Eve and Anne was so busy, helping with the Christmas pageant and helping Marilla prepare for Christmas dinner the next day, with Gilbert, Bash and Mary, were coming for dinner, so there was extra cleaning, polishing and preparation, that she nearly forgot about her "True Love". But when she returned home from the pageant and made her way to her bedroom she found a piece of paper, rolled up like a scroll and a green ribbon holding it closed, sitting on her desk. She carefully untied it and read it.

"I am not a poet. If I could say what I feel I would, but my words are lost and my tongue gets tied when I look into your eyes. This poem my not be my words but they resonate in my heart and I think of you when I read them.

The fountains mingle with the river,  
And the rivers with the ocean;  
The winds of heaven mix forever  
With a sweet emotion;  
Nothing in the world is single;  
All things by a law divine  
In one another's being mingle-  
Why not I with thine?

See, the mountains kiss high heaven,  
And the waves clasp one another;  
No sister flower could be forgiven  
If it disdained its brother;  
And the sunlight clasps the earth,  
And the moonbeams kiss the sea; -  
What are all these kissings worth, or What is all this sweet work worth  
If thou kiss not me?

Percy Bysshe Shelley"

She felt herself melt, and sat on the chair at her desk, it was so beautiful. Her "True Love" thought of her when he read those words? Comparing his love for her to the world and nature. At that moment, she decided that no matter who her "True Love" was, she was going to be happy, even if it was Charlie or Billy, she would not allow herself to be disappointed...how could she be when they were this thoughtful, tender and romantical?

The Twelfth day was Christmas Day, they went to church after breakfast and returned home to begin preparations for their dinner and company. Matthew took the wagon over to fetch them, as Mary was pregnant and due soon, the walk from their farm to Green Gables would be too difficult for her. They all entered the kitchen with snowflakes in their hair, and even though Anne wanted to stare at the snow as it melted into Gilbert's dark curls, she forced herself to greet the others first, before turning to him. "Merry Christmas, Gilbert."

"Merry Christmas Anne." He replied with one of those smiles and looks that seemed to dazzle her and she forgot to breathe for a second. She couldn't help but remember last year when she and Gilbert were blowing out the candles on the tree, and she had thought for a moment, he might kiss her. "You look very nice." Indicating to her dress, instead of wearing her fancy dress, that Matthew had purchased, she was wearing her green dress, but had used all the green ribbon from the presents to trim the dress and add some beauty to it. And had used a piece to tie back her hair, the same way Diana and Ruby wore theirs. 

"Anne help me set the table." Marilla called to Anne, and Anne shrugged and smiled at him before turning to help Marilla. 

Dinner was filled with lively conversation, laughter and joy. Anne was excited to hear all about Mary and Bash's preparations for their baby, offering to help anytime they needed it.

After dinner she was washing up the dishes, while Matthew and Marilla entertained their guests in the parlor. "May I help?" Gilbert offered, bringing in his tea cup and saucer. 

"You're a guest you shouldn't."

"I want to." He took the towel for drying and picked up a plate. They worked in mostly silence, but not awkwardly, smiling at each other and laughing gently when one would accidently bump into the other. 

"Thank you for your help."

"It was my pleasure." They stared at each other again for several moments, longer than was considered polite, only tearing their eyes away when Bash laughed loudly in the parlor. "Oh I wanted to give you your present." He said. 

"You didn't have to." She told him but he just smiled and started to reach in his pocket. "I have...made something for you." She ran to the parlor and grabbed his gift from under the tree and returned to the kitchen, handing him a present. "I took the idea from my...admirer." She indicated at the paper it was wrapped in, brown paper she had stamped with red and green circles. 

"It's very festive." He smiled as he opened it. Inside was a grey scarf, with two white lines at each end and matching mittens. "Thank you Anne." He wrapped the scarf around his neck, rubbing the soft wool against his cheek. The gesture made her heart stop and she wished she could feel his cheek with her hand. 

"Here is yours." He pulled a small round bundle out of his pocket, wrapped in simple burlap but tied with green ribbon. The same green ribbon, that had been on all her presents. Her heart stopped, she didn't know how that was possible because she could hear her blood pounding in her ears, she couldn't breath and she couldn't think. There was no way that Gilbert Blythe had been her "True Love". What would someone like him want with someone like her?

"I...uh..." She couldn't say words.

"Open it Anne." He urged, placing it in her hands, jolting her with the electricity of his touch. She tore her eyes from his face and looked at the package, pulling the ribbon off and revealing what laid inside. A small, perfect apple.

"It's not a partridge in a pear tree, but I thought it was fitting," He rubbed the side of his face, where she had smashed him with her slate, after he had called her Carrots and pulled her hair, after he had offered her an apple and she had ignored him. She still couldn't speak, she couldn't believe it was him. 

"And the sunlight clasps the earth,  
And the moonbeams kiss the sea; -  
What are all these kissings worth, or What is all this sweet work worth  
If thou kiss not me?" 

He quoted the poem, putting one hand over her own, the one that held the apple. "May I?" He asked as he leaned in to kiss her. She was about to be kissed by Gilbert Blythe, she couldn't speak, only nod her consent. It was soft, and warm, his lips on hers for just a moment, but her heart soared and she would swear to Diana later that she heard music playing. He pulled back and looked at her, those hazel eyes with gold and green flecks in them, she reached up with a shaky hand to touch his cheek, stroking it for a second before cupping the back of his head and pulling him down for another kiss, one that he didn't hesitate to return, deepening. Her knees nearly buckled when he slipped his tongue into her mouth and she gasped at the moan that escaped her lips. They broke apart at the same time, realizing that they were in Green Gables kitchen, kissing, with their families in the next room. 

"Merry Christmas Anne." He whispered.

fin


End file.
